Point in cricket refers to an important field position in cricket. Almost always, the captain places a fielder at point. It is usually occupied by the team’s best fielder. At this region, the chances of a batter getting caught out is one of the highest.
This field position is called so because a shot hit by the batter is from the ‘point’ of the bat, and the ball travels to a specific area on the off-side. The fielder at point is placed within the 30-yard circle. If this fielder is positioned beyond the circle and near the boundary ropes, then it is called a deep point. Yet another variant of the point fielder is the silly point.
The prefix silly is used in cricket to denote a field position that is absurd and weird. These unusual field positions are eerily close to the pitch and in close proximity to the batter. The silly point is thus a dangerous and challenging field positions to field at. It is mandatory for a player at silly point to wear a helmet.
The silly point field position is occupied whenever a spinner comes to bowl. A mistimed defensive shot hit against the spinner can lob the ball after making contact with the bat, giving the fielder at silly point to catch the ball. A silly point fielder is usually seen in first class matches and rarely in List A matches. The silly point fielder at times is also positioned to have a psychological advantage over the batter to prohibit any shot hit towards the off-side.
A player at silly point has to be supple and courageous. Since the risk of injuries are high, it is necessary for the fielder to have reflexes that can help them dodge a powerful hit. One of the most unfortunate incidents in cricket history took place in 1998. Indian cricketer Raman Lamba was fielding at silly point in a league match against Bangladesh. When three balls were left for the day’s play, Lamba opted to not wear the helmet. The decision was a disaster, as the Lamba was struck on the head. The shot cracked his temporal bone, causing internal hemorrhage, eventually leading to Lamba’s death after three days.
Despite the risks associated with it, silly point continues to be a mandatory field position. Apart from silly point, other silly field positions include silly mid-on and silly mid-off.
